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Michael-nylan
Michael Nylan

The Chinese Pleasure Book

Michael Nylan

Sunday, 31 March 2019

2:00pm

1 hour

Oxford Martin School: Lecture Theatre

£7 - £12.50

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Historian Professor Michael Nylan explains why pleasure – both short-term delight and longer term satisfaction – were so important in early Chinese thought.

Nylan says the relation of pleasure to bodily health and the general health of society is one of the most important themes in Chinese thought. Early Chinese writings assume it is right and proper to take and seek pleasure. Longer term pleasures to be cultivated included friendship and music, sharing with others, developing integrity and greater clarity, reading and classical learning, and going home.

Nylan is a professor in the Department of History, University of California, Berkeley. She is author of Chang’an 26 BCE: An Augustan Age in China and Yang Xiong and the Pleasures of Reading and Classical Learning in China.

This event is part of the festival’s American programme.

 

Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 Goldmoney Properties Felicity Bryan Associates Voltaire Foundation Confucius Institute Critchleys Accountants to the festival Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Oxford Business College Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival Pasture to Plate Compassion in World Farming Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller elBullifoundation Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Oxford Mathematics Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK University of Oxford The Telegraph Festival media partner Other donors Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture David Isaac Ian and Carol Sellars Martin and Elise Becket Smith Tim and Marion Stevenson Miles Young Jim Mellon Brasenose College Brasenose College founded in 1512 Pusey House Founded 1884 Reuben College Reuben College founded in 2019 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Lincoln College Lincoln College founded 1427 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 New College New College founded 1379 Yale University Press London The Oxford Times Windrush Group Schoolreaders The Litmus Partnership CAV Oxford Oxford University Images Oxford University Images Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies The Sheldonian Theatre University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Paul Bloomfield Ltd Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design MACROVegan Human Ecology Project New Dutch Writing Conference Oxford BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner OX magazine Ox in a Box
 

The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 Goldmoney Properties Felicity Bryan Associates Voltaire Foundation Confucius Institute Critchleys Accountants to the festival Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Oxford Business College Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival Pasture to Plate Compassion in World Farming Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller elBullifoundation Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Oxford Mathematics Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK University of Oxford The Telegraph Festival media partner Other donors Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture David Isaac Ian and Carol Sellars Martin and Elise Becket Smith Tim and Marion Stevenson Miles Young Jim Mellon Brasenose College Brasenose College founded in 1512 Pusey House Founded 1884 Reuben College Reuben College founded in 2019 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Lincoln College Lincoln College founded 1427 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 New College New College founded 1379 Yale University Press London The Oxford Times Windrush Group Schoolreaders The Litmus Partnership CAV Oxford Oxford University Images Oxford University Images Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies The Sheldonian Theatre University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office Paul Bloomfield Ltd Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design MACROVegan Human Ecology Project New Dutch Writing Conference Oxford BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner OX magazine Ox in a Box